Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-14
"F Mt !"
something i bout the Principal
came of the Chinese.


came of the Chinese.
NEW YORK, March FL found young
Capt. Jonu McCul agn, of the "Bloody
slxth,' in his station house the other day
surrounded by bags of rafting Chinese
money, OF chiukling Chinese dominnes,
ana OF rustling Chinese cards-thonsand
oil each in each bag and all the most
peculiar looking things imaginable. The
cards were one inch wide and four inches
| lohg, the d0min0es were three times as
bi. as those we play with, the coins were
little disks OF brass with hole In the
middle Of each, in order that they might
he strung on strings like buttons.
The rosy-faced young Captain is
the ruler or Chinatown, and had been
making his customary raids on his sub
| jects.
Every Chinaman CANDLES" said he,
"and every ChIDsman smokes opium
you may put that down as a rule. 1t is
not to be wondered at. either, for they
have no other means OF entertaining or
amusing themselves---no theatres,
churches, homes that are really
homes, families, concert halls or
| anything TO take the place OF thes"
except the opium joints and gambling
dens."
got the Captain to explain the game
| OF lantan, the principal gambling game
oil tue Chinese. He said he had never
seen 1t played and that very few white
men In this city ever have done so. The
Chinese will admit white men to cOmpan-
lonship In their homes, IN their opium
joints and everywhere except in their
gambling resorts. However, the Captain
knew ali about their game. He had
broken many a door behind which it was
IN process, and many time he had seen
the Cinnamon all sitting on their heels in
the seats OF chairs pulled up around the
gaming table, which is an ordinary
kitchen table 8 feet wide by 7 feet long,
covered with mating and having an ere
shaped place cut out of one end into W hich
the dealer is to squeeze himself. Many
time the Captain has caught the dea err
reaching forth with stick like lead
pencil, but twice as long, to pick out the
counters from under the cup in the mid
die Of the table.
He explains these mysterious glimpses
at Oriental vice in this way: The table
has tour corners and they are numb red
q, and 4. These are the betting points.
The Cinnamon bet with American silver,
putting their stakes ON whichever corner
they think Is likely to win. The deal
has bOxful OF buttons. bits OF ivory o
Chinese cash. This ''cash" is whai Is
most commonly used. 1t is brass coin
the size OF cent, but perforated through
the middle and having the value OF
tenth OF cent. The dealer puts his hand
In the box aud takes handful oil these
coins. Neither he nor anv one else can
tell how many he takes. These ne puts
under small brass cup on the table. He
then begins pulling them out from under
the cup, four at a time, deftIy, as only a
Cinnamon can, with his long pencil-lIke
stick. Ii the last pull OF four ends the
pile the fourth corner wins, if two are
left those who bet on the second cor
ner win all tee money, and if only one
remains after the last four have been
drawn corner number one is the lucky
corner.
Very simple compared to poker, you
say. Aye, but not to the Cinnamon.
They play it all day and all night and
often gamble away their very shirts.
They are very human, alter all.
JULIAN RALPH